2017 Pinot Noir Hopler Vineyard
OMG! Recently, I discovered the Germans make red wine. Forever, my mind told me only white wines were produced there. This Pinot is from Austria, not officially from Germany. It came from a vineyard in the Neusialler Lake region, near Rosenberg.
Well, their grape, Spätburgunder, means late-ripening (spät) Pinot (Burgunder). This tasing was really a pleasant surprise. The wine was full fruit forward; the color was a real cherry red, rather than dark red of Pinots from the Pacific Northwest. It was a lighter Pinot, a bit thinner. Its black cherry was easy to find with a light oak tannin finish.
If the buyer hasn’t noticed, Estate Pinot Noir prices are skyrocketing. Some of my favorites used to be priced at $ 38.00 in the mid ‘20s. Now, those same wines are priced upwards: $ 45.00, $50.00, $65.00 and higher.
Further, Pinot Noir is grown in nearly every wine region throughout Germany. Interestingly, this Austrian Pinot’s price-point makes it affordable at les than $30.00. Perhaps, red wine uses should pay more attention towards learning bout German Spätburgunders.
O.K., cost cutting was apparent in Hopler botting. The bottle is a light amber color, rather than heavy dark glass. The winemaker installed a twist-off cap, in place of a genuine cork. As good as it tastes, here is a “drink-it-now” Pinot Noir. Buyers can use it as a daily red wine or serve it with vegetable dishes, wild game, cheese entrees.
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